Environmental correlates of blue and fin whale call detections in the North Pacific Ocean from 1997 to 2002

A 6 yr time series of blue whale Balaenoptera musculus and fin whale B. physalus call detections in the North Pacific Ocean was correlated with 3 oceanographic variables (sea-surface temperature, chlorophyll a concentration, and mixed layer depth), to investigate the broad-scale call- ing behavior of these species. Monthly values for satellite-derived oceanographic data and whale call data were compared for 4 regions (30° longitude by 15° of latitude) encompassing the whole subarc- tic North Pacific and an area in the temperate northeastern Pacific. To determine predictive models for whale call occurrence, generalized linear models were used to determine which, if any, oceano- graphic variables might influence whale calling behavior over such broad space and time scales. Sea- surface temperature was the best oceanographic variable for predicting whale call detections for both species and all regions.

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